New Nigeria defender Isaac James has revealed that he broke down in tears after receiving his first invitation to Nigeria’s senior national team.

The 22-year-old Alverca defender said the call-up came sooner than he expected despite his encouraging start to the season in Portugal.

James is one of three players handed their first senior invitations by head coach Éric Chelle for Nigeria’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. 

Speaking to the Super Eagles media team, James said representing Nigeria had always been a dream, but he was surprised when Chelle contacted him.

The former Lyon FC player said the timing of the invitation caught him completely off guard.

“I was doing well at the season, you know, but I didn’t expect to get a call-up immediately because I know it’s my dream to be here.”

“So when the coach called me, I was so surprised because I didn’t expect it to be so soon. But I’m really happy to be here.”

For James, however, the emotional impact went beyond the surprise of receiving his first international invitation.

The defender also spoke about the reaction of his family and club after the news became public, revealing that his brothers and sisters immediately began contacting him to confirm the development.

“For me, I actually cried. I can’t lie because I’ve been dreaming, you know, to play in the national team.”

“My brothers and sisters started sending me posts. They were like, ‘Is it true? You are going to the national team?’ I told them it was real.”

James added that Alverca were equally pleased with his achievement and suggested that he was the first Nigerian player from the Portuguese club to receive a senior national-team invitation. 

His journey to the Super Eagles has taken him through Nigeria, France and Portugal. He began his development with Garden City Panthers before moving to France, where he joined Lyon FC.

However, breaking into Lyon’s first team proved difficult, forcing the young defender to seek another route to senior football.

“I started from Lyon FC in France, and it was difficult there. I couldn’t start immediately with the first team, so I spent like three seasons there, and I went to Portugal.”

His move to Portugal has since provided the platform for his development and eventual breakthrough into the Super Eagles setup.

James is primarily a left-back but can also operate as a wing-back or left-sided centre-back, giving Chelle another versatile option in defence. 

His invitation comes at a time when Nigeria are seeking greater depth on the left side of the defence, with Ola Aina also returning to the squad after his injury absence. CAF noted that James’ inclusion followed the unavailability of Zaidu Sanusi. 

The Alverca defender now has the opportunity to make his senior debut when Nigeria begin their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign against Madagascar on September 25 in Uyo.

The Super Eagles will subsequently travel to face Guinea-Bissau on September 29, giving James the possibility of making his international debut during the September window.